Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis

In June, 2017, Dr. Artis was unanimously elected the 14th President of Benedict College.  She is the first-female President in the 148-year history of the college which was founded by a woman, Mrs. Bathsheba Benedict, in 1870.  

Intentional, professional and thoroughly committed to the proliferation and transformation of colleges and universities that serve underrepresented men and women of color, Dr. Artis brings to Benedict College a depth of knowledge in higher education and enthusiasm for students’ success that is unmatched in higher education today. She comes to Benedict College from Florida Memorial University where she served as the 13th and first female President in that University’s 138-year history.  

Dr. Artis is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, where she earned a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy. She also holds a Juris doctorate from West Virginia University College of Law, and her BA in Political Science from sister HBCU, West Virginia State University.  

She is a member of the Presidents’ Advisory Board for Title III Administrators and serves on the Board of the UNCF and the Council of Independent Colleges. Most recently, she joined the National Advisory Board for the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.Locally, she serves on the Board of Directors for the United Way of the Midlands, The Advisory Board for First Citizen’s Bank, the Columbia Philharmonic and Junior Achievement.

A prolific speaker, critical thinker and fierce advocate for educational access, Dr. Artis has been recognized for her work locally and nationally and is frequently engaged as a mentor, lecturer, and catalyst for strategic transformation.